SQUIRREL HUNTING. 143 
mount'another tree before you can look rouod 
you. I have seldom known them to be hurt 
by their fall, notwithstanding that I have many 
times seen them tumble from branches of trees 
upwards of twenty feet from the ground. 
In our rambles we used frequently to fall in 
with parties of the Seneka Indians, from the 
opposite side of the lake, that were.amusing 
themselves with hunting and shooting these 
animals. They shot them principally with 
bows and blow-guns, at the use of which last 
the Senekas are wonderfully expert. The 
blow-gun is a narrow tube, commonly about 
six feet in Ipngth, made of a cane reed, or of 
some pithy wood, through which they drive 
short slender arrows by the force of the breath. 
The arrows are not much thicker than the 
lower string of a violin ; they are headed gene¬ 
rally with little triangular bits of tin, and round 
t 
the opposite ends, for the length of two inches, 
a quantity of the down of thirties, or some¬ 
thing very like it, is bound, so as to leave tbe 
arrows at this part of such a thickness that they 
may but barely pass into the tube. The ar¬ 
rows are put in at the end of the tube that is 
held next to the mouth, the down catches the 
breath, and with a smart puff they will fly to 
the distance of fifty yards. I have followed 
young Seneka Indians, whilst shooting with 
blow-guns, for hours together ; during which 
